The Tsar of Love and Techno

This last story is mystical and supernatural. “The End” is a fantasy that takes place during the final moments of Kolya’s life, where he imagines himself as an astronaut in the outer limits of space, traveling in the shelter capsule his father had built in case of nuclear war. Still, he hesitates to listen to his brother Alexei’s mixtape, hoping to save it for a sweet moment where he can enjoy it at optimal capacity. The mixtape is perhaps the greatest symbol of hope for him, a gift that reminds him of what his life could have been. He has visions of Alexei as his co-pilot on the spaceship, before he becomes the last surviving member of the human race. Finally, he plays the tape, which contains a recording of Alexei and Galina trying to record music for themselves. Here at the end of all things are the two people Kolya loved the most.